WARRI: The Warri Zone of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has uncovered an alleged baby factory operating under the cover of a hospital in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State, raising fresh concerns about quack practices and child trafficking in Nigeria.
The discovery was made along Orhuwhorun Road during one of the association’s routine monitoring exercises designed to clamp down on medical quackery and unregistered health facilities.
Confirming the incident, the NMA Zonal Chairman, Dr. Djebah Bright, said four infants were found in the facility, which was being managed by unqualified individuals.
“We were on our routine monthly monitoring exercise against medical quacks and unregistered hospital facilities when we made the discovery, Dr. Bright explained.
He revealed that the association immediately notified the police, who arrested the operator of the facility and an auxiliary nurse caught feeding the babies.
The rescued infants have since been handed over to an orphanage in Asaba by the police, where they are now receiving proper care.
Dr. Bright stressed that the NMA remains committed to safeguarding public health and will not relent in exposing illegal medical practices.
“This incident underscores the dangers of quackery in our communities. We will intensify our efforts to identify and close down fake hospitals, clinics, and maternity homes that endanger lives,” he stated.
So-called “baby factories” have been a recurring problem in Nigeria, particularly in the South-East and South-South regions. These illegal establishments often disguise themselves as maternity homes, orphanages, or hospitals, where women sometimes kidnapped or coerced are used to produce babies for sale.
Security agencies have, over the years, busted several such operations, with babies reportedly sold to childless couples, traffickers, or even ritualists. Human rights groups warn that the persistence of these illegal network’s points to deep socio-economic issues, including poverty, lack of regulation, and weak enforcement of child protection laws.
The latest discovery in Delta State highlights ongoing vulnerabilities in Nigeria’s health sector, where unregistered facilities continue to thrive due to gaps in monitoring and enforcement.
Experts say such illegal operations not only exploit women and children but also undermine public trust in the healthcare system.
Calls are growing for tighter regulation, stronger community surveillance, and more proactive government intervention to dismantle these illicit networks.
The police are expected to intensify investigations into the facility’s operations, including identifying possible buyers or traffickers linked to the case.
Meanwhile, the NMA has vowed to continue its monitoring campaign to safeguard communities from fake medical practitioners.
“This is about saving lives and protecting the most vulnerable, Dr. Bright said. “We urge the public to report suspicious facilities, because silence only allows these dangerous practices to thrive.
